Everwood
by Keruseyu
Summary: Everwood is a 12 year old with a dark past and green magic. Naomi of Queenscove is just a beginner page who needs a maid. What happens when these two meet?


Everwood  
  
By Keruseyu  
  
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ANOTHER KEL FIC!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!  
  
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Chapter one: Where will you go?  
  
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The soft thud of footsteps echoed through the narrow streets as a frantic young woman dashed aroung their corners. Her foot slid slightly along the damp cobblestones, sending her sprawling with an audible crack. Everwood clutched her now broken ankle, trying not to whimper in pain as she squeezed as close to the alley walls as possible.   
  
"The rotten wench ran over here! C'mon, you dimwitted fools! Stop fooling around and catch her!"   
  
She froze as her pursuers came around the corner. 'Don' see me! Don' see me!' They ran right by her, turning the corner. She stayed where she was until their footsteps had faded from distance. "Stupid... drunk... bastards..." Almost smirking, she limped along the alley, leaning on the wall.   
  
Keeping to the back streets, she managed to make her way out of the main city and into the bushes along the edge of the Royal Forest. Their comforting limbs wound about her, weaving themselves into a mat for her foot. She smiled as she thanked them, falling into the embrace of sleep.   
  
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Around noon the sun, spilling through the trees, woke her. She was still cradled by the branches of her bush,   
  
and her ankle had dulled from sharp pain to a steady throb. Stretching gently, Everwood got to her feet. She couldn't put any weight on her ankle, and though it was a clean break, she would have to have it seen to sooner or later. Sooner was better, in her opinion. "All of this because I punched a drunk... Just shows how stupid the world is, doens't it?" She patted the bush. "Thank you, friend. You've helped very much!" The plant craned towards her touch, delighted it had helped her. 'You're welcome!' It called. 'Come back!'  
  
Everwood made her way into clear ground, then perched on a rock. "Now then... Here we go..." She pulled her boot off swiftly, grimacing as she viewed her blackened and swollen ankle. "Mithros... I didn't think it was that bad." She tugged at her belt pouch, pulling out a jar of herbs. She selected a piece of moss, chewing it until her ankle numbed. She then ripped a good ammount of brown linen from the hem of her sensible tunic, wrapping her foot and securing it with what was left of the moss, which was now a sticky green goo. Loosening the ties going up either side of her boot, she pulled it back on, then struggled to her feet.   
  
"There! Good as new!"  
  
"What's good as new?"   
  
Everwood started, falling back onto her rock. "What the-"  
  
A green-eyed girl, of around twelve years, stared back at her. Her skin was a deep, golden-brown, her eyes almond-shaped, like a Yamani's. Her long, glossy brown hair was pulled into a horse tail, tied back with a plain leather thong. She was dressed in a creamy linen tunic and breeches of the same color, both embroidered with butterflies in blue thread. Her feet were shod in plain brown boots.   
  
"Who are you, anyway? Are you a noble? Are you a page? Where do you come from? What's your name?"  
  
Everwood sighed as she examined the other child. She herself was only twelve, and a very tough person, but she could pick out the visible differences between her and the girl. While the other was plump and well-fed, Everwood was skinny and obviously malnourished. Her own hair, which was a dirty blond, was tangled and matted with dirt, her clothing ragged and dirty.   
  
"Please stop. You're giving me a headache."  
  
The girl immediatly stopped chattering. "Oh, I'm sorry..." She said, her voice considerably lower. "Is this better?"  
  
"Much so. I'm Everwood Greentree. I don't live around here. I was born in Scanra, but now I live here, so why does it matter?" She knew it was trouble, getting herself involved with well-born children, but she was too stressed to care. "I'm Naomi. I was born here, in Tortall." Everwood was about to reply when she felt a streak of pain in her leg. Her numbing medicine had worn off, leaving her in agony. It had been her last piece, too... Grimacing slightly, she sat still and calmed her breathing. "Are you okay?" Naomi's eyes fell to her leg, and she gasped. "Goddess! What happened?!" Everwood shook her head, her breathing labored. "I tripped. I'm fine, really." Naomi's eyes hardened. "You are not! I'm going to go get help! You stay put, if you value your sanity. Try not to move. I'll be back soon."  
  
Everwood nodded, trying to decipher the quick words as her vision steadily went black. She fell back on the rock, eyes closing as darkness enveloped her.  
  
'I... didn't think... it was that bad...'  
  
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Review, please! 


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